‘No, I want Mum!’ Does it feel like your child has a favourite parent?

Elva Etienne/Getty Images Many parents have experienced the sting of hearing “no, I want Mum!” Or “only Dad can put me to bed tonight”. It can feel personal. Parents may worry their child loves one parent more, or that they have done something wrong. The good news is these preferences are often temporary and a normal part of child development, rather than a sign one parent is less loved. But how might these preferences form? And what’s the best way to respond? Why might kids have a…